The goal of this project was to pick a photographer that interests us and to try and mimic some element of the photograph in our own work. I decided to work with Philip Lorca-Dicorcia’s photography. The thing that interested me about his photography is his ability to create what appear to be very intimate moments in very public and populated areas. I am surprised that this concept never really occurred to me before, considering a street photographer is the ultimate voyeur.
While working on this project I began to consider the truth of the images I was creating. Everything that I photographed was a real moment that actually happened, however it was when I started to look back at the images in greater detail, I realized that I would pick one image over another based on a look on someone’s face, or a gesture that someone was making. These decisions were based on my read of the errant gesture or expression, so I was already putting a spin on what was actually happening. The feeling captured in the photograph may have no relation the feeling in the actual scene. So even if I am trying to be as neutral as possible, if I want a compelling photograph I will end up picking the images that create drama in an otherwise mundane scene, and that process of selection is already tinging the truth of the original scene.
Up until now most of my photography has been staged or in a studio with lighting set ups, so photographing in the street was a very different experience. When I first went out my process consisted of walking around with my camera, a lot. I found that I was constantly chasing images, it was a technique that wasn’t working for me. I then decided to take a much more measured approach, I slowed myself down, and that seemed to help me a lot. Instead of running after the images, I picked a spot that had interesting aspects for a backdrop, and then waited for something to happen in my frame. This was much more successful, and all of my photos on the blog were captured in this way.
Over the course of this project I found that my technique for capturing good images in the “wild” improved immensely, and it has encouraged me to continue. This project gave me a few ideas that I am thinking of pursuing further. I found that I was interested in the moment that someone sees that you are taking a picture of them, but before they are able to put on whatever persona it is that they inevitably do. I think there is a real moment of vulnerability in that split second. I found this project to be extremely enlightening, and has definitely pushed me to be a more adventurous photographer. Thanks to my history of photograph class, and see you on the street.
Photo Journal: Walking in the footsteps of photographer Lorca Dicorcia 